Instep-arch support.



G. N. GHILDS.

INSTEP ARCH SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31, 1911.

Patented Aug. 20, 1912.

WITNESSES INVENTOR UNiTED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

CLARENCE N. CHILDS, F LOWELL, HASSACHUBKTTS.

- ms'rEr-ARcH symon'r.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, (Learner: N. Gimme, of Lowell, in the count ofhfiddlesex and. ,the Commonwealth of assachusetts, have invented certainnew andusefnl' Improvements: in Instep-Arch Supports, of which thefollowing description andclaims, with the accompanying drawing, are aspecification. i Like numerals on the drawing denote like parts. I Myinventionrelates to instep-arch supports for insertion in an 1...removal from footwear for the rectification of thedeformi- T5 tfe slinownfas weakened foot and flatoot, and to that class of such supportswhich comprises a plate having a body portion shaped to underlie theinstep-arch and a side portion that is integral with the body portionand opposed to the side surface of that arch.

' My invention relates more particularly. to the extent of the bodyportion of the plate, to the means for preventing the longitiidinal or,lateral movement of the-support relativelv to-the foot, to the means forgiving rigidity to. the support or such resilience thereto as is suitedto. the pathological condition or the heaviness of the patient, and tothe means for cushioning the support for the comfort of the patient.

In the drawing, which shows my invention in the preferred form: Figure 1is a plan of a form of footwear, such as a boot 3a or shoe, with theupper removed at a horizontal section near the sole, with the metallieportion of my support inserted therein,

but with the cushion omitted for greater (-learness; Fig. 2 is a planofthe metallic portion, Fig; '3 is a side-elevation thereof;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section taken at the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 with acorresponding section of the cushion, in place; Figs. 5, 6, and

T are CXOSSFSQCtlOHS taken at the lines 5-5,

a corresponding-section of the cushion, in

- place, in each case; Fig. 8 is a lan of the cushion shown flat andbefore it has been curved to its place in the footwear but with themetallic portion of the support in plan beneath it.

'l he preferred-form of my invention comprises a resilient metallicplate havinga body portion 1 curved to conform to the Specification ofLetters Patent.

Application filed July 31, 1911. semi No. 641,418.

6t;, and .-7- 7, respectively, of Fig. 2, with Patented Aug. 20, 1912.

lower surface of the foot beneath the tarsal and metatarsal arches,extended forwardly to a location 2 anterior to an articulationfof' ametatarsalbone with its phalanx, and extended rearwardly to a location 3posterior to the lowest part of the os calcis. 'Its ott- 60 line at theheel 4 T4 is curved to. conform nearly to the outline of e inner sole ofthe footwear at the heel? I \has one or more holes 5 in its posteriorpart. for a screw or other projection fi-from the heel of the foot- 5wear for maintaihmg thesupport-in position at the heell The plate 1hasside portions integral. with the body portion and curved toconform'to the inner side portions of the tarsal and metatarsal'arches;The posterior side portioii' 7 is shaped to fitands, support the innersideiof the tarsal-arch. and is extended laterally and vertically from'T the body portion lonly' enough to ve the desired stiffness to theinner side 0 the resilient plate and to provide a suflicient sidesupport opposite to the head of -the astragalus and for the cushion orloose insole.

The anterior part f the side portion of p the plate ,is a tongueextended laterally and 30' vertically from the body portion with whichit is integral and curved to fit "the side sur face of the foot. A partof the tongue 8 which is farther than'the remainder from, the bodyportion is more nearly vertical 55 than the remainder and is'constructedto be almost fixedly located laterally relatively to the foot betweenthe sideof the foot and the upper of the footwear. To diffuse the res- 4sure of the more nearly vertical part 0 the tongue 8 over an area ofthe-side of the foot which is larger than its own areajtherer' byincreasing the comfort of the wearer and 7'" reducing the ossiblelateral movement of the more near y-v ert i cal part of the ton erelatively to the foot, a cushion 12 of lat er v 'or other material, -tobe hereinafter described, intervenes between the tongue 8 and the sideof the ,foot. This more-nearly vertical part of the tongue is the partof the instep-arch support -from whi 'the'forward part of the bodyportionof the plate is laterally located relativelyto the foot. Thesurgeon, when fitting the plate to the foot of the patien? can ibend thetongue 8 in any desired direc' 1011 by the aid of suitable tools. He canso-bendit as tobring the forward part of the body .portion 0 the platenearer to the more nearly vertical part of the tongue, or, so as tocarry it farther therefrom, thus adjusting the lateral location of theforward part of the body portion to the foot. Such adjustment, without acorresponding bending of the posterior part 7 of the side portion of theplate, will vary the pressure of the part 7 whereby it resists theinward movement of the scaph'oid and the head of the astragalus. Undersome circumstances this ma be advisable. The tongue'8 is a substantialtongue that is, it is strong enough and stiff enoug ,throughout itswhole extent, to maintain, while the sup ort is being worn, the forwardpart of the body portion of the plate in its position of lateraladjustment with respect to the more nearl vertical portion of thetongue; and, there ore, with respect to the foot Thus the tongue 8 isfor locating, adjusting and maintaining the forward plate in its-lateralposition relatively to the foot. '-,The tongue 8 is located forward of.the raised side 7 of the tarsal-arch support and rises above its upperedge. The head of the first metatarsal bone is the only bony art of theinner side of the forward part of thefoot that-.rests firmlyandcontinuously upon a fixed support. This head is ball-shaped and notconstructed to resist the lateral pressure of the; tongue 8 with comfortto the wearer. I have experimented by locating the tongue 8 in differentpositions lengthwise ofthe'foot and Iprefer to locate it alongside ofthe shaft 'of the first metatarsal bone and between its head and itsbase.

- rior endof the u per spring-10 from the an- The preferred form of myinvention comprises also one or more plate springs 9 and 10 which areriveted to the body portion 1 in the posterior portions oflate-springs 9and 10, and the bodyportion at 11 11 when it is desired to therebyreinforce the stiffness of the resilient plate. The anterior end of thelower spring 9 is farther than the anteterior end 2 of t e body portion1 of the resilient plate for gradually reducing the reinforcing effectof the springs upon the'piate. While the heel and the ball 0 the footare both down and while the weight of the body tends to depress the headof the astragalus, the springs 9 and 10 unite with the plate 1 to resistthe depression. As the heel and the instep rise with the weightsupported.

u on the ballof the foot the anterior partspart of the The anwjor endsof; the.

plate springs depress longitudinally prolonged portions of the softfixed-innersole of the footwear and the anterior ends of the depressionswould materially aid-in preventing the forward slipping of the metallicportion of my invention, if the projection from the heel of thefootwearwere absent.

The preferred form of my inventionvcomprises a removable cushion orinsole 12 which is shaped to conform in outline tothe outline of thefixed mole of the footwear, excepting at the places where the sideportions of the metallic plate are found. At all such places. andespecially at the tongue 8,

the cushion is widened sufficiently to cause- 8Q, it to intervenebetween the side portionswf I the plate and the foot for the comfort ofthe patient. The entire. cushion or insole is shaped to fit the footwithin the footwear.

I claim:

1. In an instep-arch support, a metallic plate having its posteriorportion shaped with a raised side more to the rear than the firstmetatarsal bone and to fit and support the inner and raised side andthe'lower sur- 9 tion shaped to underlie the metatarsal-arch and havmg asubstantialton eforward of theraised side of the ;tarsa -arch supportface of the tarsal-arch audits anterior porv and risin above the upperedge of the said 9:

raised si e for*location alongside the shaft of the first metatarsalbone betweenthe head and the base ofsuch bone forgiving proper positionlaterally to the .forward part of the plate. I

I 2. A resilient plate of an instep-arch support having its posteriorportion shaped with a raised side more to the rear than the firstmetatarsal bone and to fit and support the inner and raised side and thelower'surface of the tarsal-arch and its anterior portion curved to fitthe lower surface of the foot beneath the metatarsal arch' and to extendforwardly to a location-anterior to an articulation of a metatarsal bonewith its phalanx and having a substantial tongue forward of theraiserlsidebf the tarsal-arch support and rising above the upper edge ofthe said raised side for location alongside the shaft of the firstmetatarsahbone between the head Eand the base-of such bone for givingproper osition laterally'to'the forward part of t e plate. I

3. .In an instep-arch support, a metallic plate, having its -'osteriorportion shaped with-a raised side; more to the rear than the firstmetatarsal bone and to fit and support the inner andraised side and thelower surface of the tarsal-arch and its anterior portion shaped tounderlie the metatarsal-arch and having a substantial ton ue forward ofthe raised si e of the itarsa arh support and rising above he upper edgeof the said' raised side. for location alongside the shaft of the firstmetatarsal bone between the head and the base of such bone for givingproper and the tongue and the Sid portion of the position laterally tothe forward part of t e plate. 15, plate, combined with a cushion shapedto In testimony whereof, 1 afiix my signature i I it a ainsi the innersurface of the upper of Q in the presence of two witnesses.

v the gootwear for maintaimng its; uwn pmper CLARENCE N. CIULEQFS.

pasiiinn iongitudinally and laterally 0f the Witnesses: Shea, and havmga sldewlse extensmn in! in-- CHAN mus W HZTAKER; iel'vunuou Betwgeu thefoot of the wearer lnvuw D. Kxmmm.

